Planning To Go Or Planning To Stay?

Q. My wife of almost 2 years now has told me that she is ready to go (in the Rapture) at any time just as I am. We agree about most spiritual matters. However, she is constantly planning for the future here, while I am constantly looking up as if the rapture could occur any day now. It’s as if she is oblivious to the events that are taking place around the world.

Because I study end times prophecy a lot, she says that I am obsessed with all of this. She says that if you are ready, then nothing else matters. I feel as if she thinks I am a nut for wishing the Lord would return right now. Do you have any words of encouragement that I could say to her in a loving way or should I just continue to pray for her?

A. Because our minds naturally work in a linear fashion, many people find it hard to grasp the idea that some day without warning everything will suddenly change forever. But the Bible says this life is temporary and it’s the next one that’s permanent. In 2 Cor. 4:18 Paul admonished us to fix our eyes not on what is seen but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary but what is unseen is eternal. In Matt. 6:19-21 Jesus cautioned us about storing up treasure on Earth and said we should focus instead on storing up treasure in Heaven, and in Luke 12:16-21 He told a parable that symbolized the folly of being obsessed with worldly things.

In other words, although we’re in this world we’re not supposed to be concerned about the things of this world. And even if we weren’t nearing the End of the Age and could expect to live a full life time, what’s a 70-80 year life here compared to eternity? How does it make sense to be so focused on getting all this life has to offer without giving much more than a random thought to preparing for the next one?

To help us through our time here the Lord promised that if we would focus on seeking His Kingdom and His righteousness, He would take care of all of our needs here. (Matt. 6:25-34) But this is the exact opposite of how most believers are taught to live. We’ve been taught to focus on getting the things of this world and to leave the next one to Him. It’s one of the great failures of organized religion.

You appear to have come around to accepting the Lord’s priorities. Your wife needs some time to catch up. Be patient as you go over these verses with her and continue to pray.

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